Most contact lens wearers understand the importance of cleaning their contacts or contact lenses on a daily basis. Cleaning and disinfecting contacts on a daily basis extends the life of the contacts and reduces the risk of developing a potentially dangerous eye infection. A contact lens case, which is the “home” of the lenses during periods of nonuse, such as overnight, should be thought of as an extension of the contact lens, and should also be thoroughly cleaned on a regular basis.
Contacts lens cases can be a significant source of microbial contamination. To help prevent eye infections, contact lens cases should be cleaned, rinsed and properly dried every day, particularly after the contacts are removed from the case and placed in the eyes for the day.
Cleaning a contact lens case generally involves removing any solid matter or debris that may have fallen into the case, rinsing each section of the case, including the lids or caps, with the hot water or with same contact lens cleaning solution used to clean and disinfect the contacts. After cleaning, the contact lens case, including the lids or caps, must be thoroughly dried to prevent bacteria formation. Some people dry the sections of the contact lens case by wiping them with a dry cloth, or by placing the contact lens case components upside down on a clean towel. These drying techniques are generally not recommended because they can lead to microbial contamination that can, in turn, lead to painful eye infections. Furthermore, air-drying by simply placing the contact lens case components on a clean towel is often unsatisfactory as the towel does not provide a secure support for the components, which often leads to the contact lens case components falling to the floor or into the sink. Other people close the contact lens wet which does not allow for proper drying, or lay them flat on dirty bathroom counter or sink edge, both of which can lead to microbial contamination. If cases are laid open face up they are also slow to dry and are exposed to contaminants getting in such as dust, hairspray, germs, and the like. If the sections of the case are laid open face down on a flat surface they are substantially isolated from airflow to dry properly, which can also lead to microbial formation. Furthermore, in households where numerous people wear contact lenses, keeping each person's contact lens case components separate after cleaning and drying to prevent mismatching is particularly challenging, especially when they are cleaned at the same time.